Grilled Portobello Mushroom And Barley Salad With Basil Puree

Directions

1. To make basil puree: In blender or possibly food processor, combine garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Process ingredients till smooth. Add in lemon juice and basil. Blend entire mix till smooth. You may have to stop machine once or possibly twice to scrape walls of blender to redistribute ingredients.
2. To make the salad: In large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add in bay leaf and pearl barley and toast lightly, stirring, about 3 min. Add in 3 c. water and 1/4 tsp. salt.
3. Cover and simmer till barley is doubled in size (about 40 to 50 min).
4. Drain any excess water and spread grains on baking sheet to cold.
5. Remove stems of portobello mushrooms. Toss mushrooms with 1/4 c. of the extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Slice zucchini into rounds on the diagonal.
6. Slice red onion into rounds. Toss both with remaining extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill all vegetables over medium flame, then chop mushrooms and onion into small pcs.
7. To serve: Combine minced portobellos with cooked barley and red onion. Fold in about one-third of the basil puree (chill remaining puree for another use). Spoon salad over grilled zucchini slices. Adjust seasonings to taste.
8. Grilled portobello mushrooms with pearl barley, zucchini and roasted red peppers. This salad pairs ancient and modern tastes. Barley dates back to the Stone Age and has been used for everything from cereals to breads to soups. Portobellos are a trendy favorite mushroom. Pairing these two is a takeoff on the classic mushroom-barley soups of Middle Europe, Stehling says.
9. Pearl barley is barley which has had the bran removed and has been steamed and polished. It comes in several sizes (coarse, medium and fine).
10. Different kinds of barley are available; be sure you get the pearl barley for this salad, Stehling says.